Workaholic's Leisure
by Huhuchocolate
Summary: Falkner's finally living up to his father's name in succeeding the Violet City Gym. But Fate has other things in mind for the bird type-lover, and now he has a rest leave... How can a workaholic like him live through it?


"You've certainly done well, Falkner. For the past few months you've been working hard at it, and I know it's no easy task. New trainers have been emerging and you've been hard in battling since. Well done!" The director said, clapping Falkner clumsily on the shoulder, clumsy due to the fact that he was shorter than the gym leader. Falkner twitched his mouth into what he hoped was a smile.

"Thank you, Mr. Director, sir. It was no problem," He replied as both of them walked towards the Violet City Gym. "Really? Because I was under the impression that it seems to wear you a lot," The small man peered at him doubtfully through the pair of glasses balanced on the bridge of his nose. "N-not at all, sir, I assure you," Falkner said, heart beating fast. Please, please do not bring up the subject that I have too much to do what with being a policeman and now a gym leader because I can handle that very well, thank you, and it was all thanks to the ingenious design of coffee. Falkner prayed silently to himself.

"Okay, whatever you say. But Falkner, you will be glad to hear my next piece of news," The director looked up at him expectantly and Falkner looked confused. "What is it?" He hoped it was nothing about getting the gym renovated without his permission because he liked simple and wanted to keep his gym simple - Until he decides for drastic changes due to the number of trainers that are getting too many. "Well, seeming as you have been working hard… I've decided it's your turn for a rest! Your rest leave starts from tomorrow. Don't worry, I'll send a message to all trainers to make sure they know that you won't be in. Aren't you excited?" Falkner grinned and nodded, but inside he was trembling all over.

What? He couldn't do that! Hi s precious gym… He can't leave all that, not now! Quick, he coaxed himself, do something. "S-sir, that's very kind of you, but I don't mind working at all. I don't need a rest, I'm in good condition," The director looked up at him and studied what he saw. Twitchy eyes, tense limbs, pale face and disheveled hair… "Don't be modest, Falkner! You need a holiday. It's okay; it's just five days' of leave. It will do you good," With that Mr. Director waved goodbye and went inside the helicopter he had flew on here. Falkner returned the wave weakly and watched as the flying machine disappeared from view.

When the small man was out of site, Falkner slumped against the wall of his gym. How was he going to stand a holiday from his beloved gym? Just when he was getting a lot of trainers to train with, too. He liked work, for god's sake! Actually, he loved work; it kept his mind off things. Not to mention that he had to prove he was better than his father who had flown away and shirked all responsibilities. Instead of sinking into melancholy flashbacks involving his father, Falkner rolled his eyes. Typical dad and typical world… But wait, isn't there his other job? The policeman who 'fights for justice' job? God, maybe, just maybe…

Falkner ran towards the gym's phone and dialed the Violet City's police headquarters. "Officer Falkner? Great timing, I was just about to contact you," The voice of the police head crackled through the phone. Falkner clutched it desperately. "Er… Sir, I am working tomorrow and for the-the next five days, aren't I?" Falkner tired to sound inconspicuous and nonchalant about it. There was a chuckle at the other end. "Not at all, Officer, you workaholic. The leader of the pokemon association's just called me to inform of your leave. I hope you have a nice holiday, Officer Falkner!" There was a click and the phone line went dead. The only thought that crossed Falkner's mind right then was the word Doom.

Dejectedly, he put the receiver down and walked towards the battle floor where he would be waiting for challengers. Once there, he sat on the floor gloomily and waited. There weren't many challengers in the afternoon, most of them preferred to battle in the morning. So with only two challengers to battle (one defeated, the other; a trainer with golden eyes and a bursting fringe, managed to defeat him and he was forced to give away a badge) between the time span of the afternoon until nearly 9 p.m. at night, Falkner turned in and dismissed all his gym trainers, before locking the gym properly and securely. Before the gym trainers went, he made sure they knew not to go to work until for another five days, and saying goodbye, he parted ways with them towards his own house.

Once inside the safety of his shelter, Falkner wasted no time in grooming and pampering his birds. While grooming them and listening to their delighted caws, he thought of tomorrow, and dreaded it. How was he going to survive? He guessed he could do with some training, but it wasn't going to take his mind off things… And he supposed he should learn how to relax. "What am I supposed to do, Pidgeot?" He sighed quietly, as he brushed the magnificent bird's feathers to a glossy sheen. Pidgeot looked up at its trainer for a moment, before rubbing its head soothingly near Falkner's shoulder.

"I guess you don't know too, huh?" Giving his Pokémon one last pet on the head he began to get ready to turn in, watched sharply by his Pidgeot. Probably wondering if they would be allowed in his bedroom tonight. When he stepped into his room and attempted to close the door, his pidgeot flew towards him, along with a few others including pidgey and dodrio (who walked). Dodrio and a doduo ran inside through the open door forcefully, while pidgey perched onto his shoulder. Falkner shook his head and tried to put on a stern face, but looking at doduo and dodrio who were already settled comfortably at the foot of the bed, he stopped himself. It was just for tonight, anyway.

As he settled himself into the bed, his birds voiced out their goodnights. "Goodnight," Falkner replied, and switched off the bedside lamp situated on a table nearby.. Both Pidgeot and Pidgey were perched at the top of the bedposts, while doduo and dodrio lay on the floor. In bed, it seemed that he was more vulnerable than ever to his worries. It was for a long time Falkner just listened to his birds' snores, his only form of comfort. But after a while, he gave in to sleep tiredly, just like all mortals do.

Ring! Ring! Ring!

"Urgh…" Falkner opened his eyes and felt around for the alarm on top of the table, switching off the noise he found irritating when his fingers found the source to the noise. He turned tiredly to face the other side of the bed and gasped in surprise when he came face to face with what seemed to be a fluffy mound of soft brown feathers. "Doduo!" It squawked loudly into his face and he fell down from the bed onto the floor with a loud thump. By now, all his bird Pokémon were awake and had gathered at the edge of the bed, staring down at him. Pidgeot threw up its head into the air and cawed loudly, and Falkner supposed it was the Pokémon's way of laughing. He got up grumpily and started to get ready with sluggish slowness. What a bad way to start a bad day, he thought to himself.

He went down and had a small breakfast, (because he didn't really have much of an appetite) which consisted of two toasts and a cup of water. He always skipped eggs, because it would have been an insult to his bird Pokémon. Once done, and it wasn't long, Falkner made sure he looked presentable and started out of his house with all his bird Pokémon to train. It was no use brooding on what had been done, he had decided. And Falkner was determined to make that day turn into a beneficial one.

But it was easier said than done, anyway. "Come on, Pidgeotto… Just one more battle with Dodrio?" He coaxed the tired bird, and it shook his head, panting. "Just one more battle, than you can rest. You're doing well," He stroked his Pidgeotto's body, and it looked at him reproachfully, as if to say That's what you said three battles ago. Knowing that it wasn't fair to push his pokemon further (even though it was about another 56 points away from leveling up) he stopped and gave permission for them all to relax. As he watched Dodrio trying to free doduo who was stuck in a clump of bushes, he pondered over what to do next. It was just 11 in the morning, and he had just finished training… What else was there to do? And that was when Falkner realized his life was boring.

It was all made up with work, more work and discipline. He didn't really do anything much – Except to care for his pokemon and the gym, and also work part-time as an officer. He leant against a tree and closed his eyes. Pidgey came tottering after him and pecked his slippers urgently for his attention. Scooping Pidgey up into his arms, he stroked it carefully and listened to its squawks. He realized that Doduo, who was freed from its stuck position minutes ago, was pecking a weedle curiously with its beak. "Doduo, don't-" Too late. As Doduo's cries filled the forest where they trained in, an idea flitted through his mind. Speaking of bug pokemon… maybe it was time he visited a friend.

"Hey, Falkner! Nice meeting you here!" The younger gym leader waved excitedly at his old friend when he saw the male clambering off Pidgeot. "Hi, Bugsy," Falkner greeted in reply, a smile spreading across his face when he saw his younger friend's enthusiasm. "It's been a long time since we met up. How've you been?" Bugsy approached Pidgeot and petted it, admiring its soft feathers. Falkner shrugged ruefully. There was nothing much to say… "I heard about the rest-leave," Bugsy continued, pulling a sympathetic face. "It was my turn last week, remember? It was relaxing… But it gets boring too, after some time," He went on, and Falkner nodded.

"So what're you gonna do later?" He asked, as Falkner called back Pidgeot into its pokeball. Falkner shrugged again. "…I'm not really sure myself," He sighed wearily as he trailed after Bugsy towards the gym. "Hmmm…" Bugsy scrutinized Falkner with his face screwed up, as if he was thinking. Then his face lit up and Falkner could almost see the lightning bulb above his head. "I know! I'm going to Olivine today to visit Jasmine. She told me that the grandpa and grandma from the breeding centre called up and told her they found another pokemon egg. And it was after they put two butterfrees together. So she invited me over to check up on the egg myself. You wanna come to?" Falkner thought about it. He didn't really have anything to do… And following Bugsy would make him happy and would occupy his own time. "Yeah, sure. I'd love to go," Falkner replied and Bugsy grinned. "Right! Well, we can't be wasting time. I'll be closing the gym early today, with permission from the director. Then we'll go to Olivine. In the meantime, you can see the renovations I made on my gym and tell me what you think!" Bugsy tugged on Falkner's hand and led him towards his bug-type specializing gym.

"Okay," Falkner let himself be dragged off, and thought grimly that at least he wouldn't be wasting his time. And maybe he could take up egg-hatching as a hobby or something, besides always working. Or he could even visit all the other leaders. He was a newbie and just made friends with Bugsy; but the other leaders seemed nice. Morty, Jasmine, Clare, Pryce… Maybe he'd stay off Pryce (too far away) and clear out off Clare's path (too touchy and hostile). Maybe.


End file.
